PHP: Saving files with PHP to different root directory?

Question

OK when I save uploaded files with PHP via move_uploaded_file() I cannot use an absolute URL I have to use a relative one. My site has 2 root directories one for the http side and one for the https side: httpdocs and httpsdocs respectively. So if my script is on the https side how can I save the file to a location on the http side?

Thanks!

UPDATE OK so it seems like I am using the wrong absolute path convention I am doing it like this:

$dir = 'https://www.mydomain.com/masonic_images/';
move_uploaded_file($_FILES['blue_image']['tmp_name'], $dir.$new_name);

@Chad I get an error when I use an absolute path. "Warning: move_uploaded_file(): URL file-access is disabled in the server configuration." Is that something I can adjust in an .htaccess file? — JD Isaacks, Apr 14 '09 at 19:10
Can you show the move_uploaded_file call? It sounds like you're putting a URL instead of a file path, that won't work. — Chad Birch, Apr 14 '09 at 19:11
That error seems to indicate that you're using a URL instead of a filesystem path. — Turnor, Apr 14 '09 at 19:12

score 5 · Answer 1 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:08

5

move_uploaded_file() doesn't accept URLs for either parameter. The destination is an absolute path on your filesystem.

<?php
$dir = '/var/www/httpsdocs/'; // Adjust to your configuration
move_uploaded_file($_FILES['blue_image']['tmp_name'], $dir.$new_name);

As @apphacker suggested. you can use realpath(__FILE__) to determine the absolute path to a file.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:08

Community

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answered Apr 14 '09 at 19:12

matpie

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I updated with an example. Absolute paths start with "/". URLS have "[protocol]://". – matpie Apr 14 '09 at 20:50
Thank you very much I gave you a 1+up for your help! – JD Isaacks Apr 15 '09 at 13:22

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 14 '09 at 19:09

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If you cannot use the absolute path because you don't know what the absolute path is, use PHP's realpath() to figure out what it is and then use it.

answered Apr 14 '09 at 19:09

Bjorn

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score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 14 '09 at 19:09

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Are the httpdocs and httpsdocs directories both located in the same parent folder? If so, just use a relative path for the second parameter in move_uploaded_file to place the file in the other root directory.

For example:

$uploaddir = '../httpdocs/';
$uploadfile = $uploaddir . basename($_FILES['myfile']['name']);

This code assumes that the uploading script is located in the httpsdocs root directory, and that you want to save the file into the httpdocs directory.

answered Apr 14 '09 at 19:09

Jon Benedicto

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Thanks, I tried what you said and I got this error: "Warning: move_uploaded_file(): open_basedir restriction in effect. File(../../httpdocs/masonic_images/41_red_391-1-l.jpg) is not within the allowed path(s)" – JD Isaacks Apr 14 '09 at 19:15
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Your web server has PHP configured to block all file accesses outside the current site root. Unless you can turn the open_basedir restriction off, there is no way to place the images in the other directory. – Jon Benedicto Apr 14 '09 at 19:26
@Jon is there a way to do that with .htaccess? Thanks – JD Isaacks Apr 14 '09 at 19:33
Unfortunately, no. The open_basedir directive can only be changed in httpd.conf or php.ini. – Jon Benedicto Apr 14 '09 at 20:02
@Jon I can ask my host to change this, but first is there any negative or security holes that can open by changing? Thanks a lot. – JD Isaacks Apr 14 '09 at 20:09
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Not really, if you're careful to validate any user input that might control which files are opened/created. – Jon Benedicto Apr 14 '09 at 23:03

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Apr 14 '09 at 21:02

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Note that since you put uploaded files inside httpdocs it could be possible to upload a php file and execute arbitrary code.

answered Apr 14 '09 at 21:02

Gleb

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Thanks for the advice, the users aren't using this though this is for employees to upload product images. – JD Isaacks Apr 15 '09 at 13:22

PHP: Saving files with PHP to different root directory?

4 Answers4